Gerald Green Making Most of His Opportunity With Phoenix Suns

By Juan Pablo Aravena

Jesse D. Garrabrant – Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns are a very fun team to watch and they have quickly become one of the favorite stories through the first half of this season.

The team led by Jeff Hornacek was expected to tank the year hoping to land a high selection in what appears to be a loaded 2014 draft class, but they have taken the Western Conference by surprise, competing against the top teams and they would be currently making the playoffs if the season ended right now.

Their roster is full of young players like Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Miles Plumlee, but there is one in particular that has taken advantage of the chance to become a solid contributor on the offensive side of the ball: Gerald Green.

The journeyman guard has always been viewed as a piece that could come off the bench to provide an offensive spark thanks to his insane athleticism and solid scoring ability, but he has truly evolved this year and he looks like a complete player who can contribute on both ends of the floor. Green has been taking a larger role since the injury sustained by Bledsoe – who is sidelined with a knee injury and doesn’t have a timetable for his return – and he has stepped up to the challenge, becoming a perfect complement for Dragic in the Suns’ backcourt.

Green showcased his growth in the game against the Philadelphia 76ers where he had a very effective night from the floor, leading the team in points and being the go-to guy in the last minutes of a contest that concluded with a 124-113 win for the Suns. The nine-year veteran finished the game with 30 points and missed only two of his 12 attempts from the floor in a night where the Suns needed someone to step it up.

Green showed the offensive force he can become in the near future and he has undoubtedly been one of the best players for the franchise this year. Thanks to his performance tonight, the Suns are still alive on the playoff race and it’s safe to say they will keep fighting if Green continues to contribute like this down the stretch.